S4 exhaust round up and reviews

Sound in vid probably doesn't do it justice .

Weight saving and 20 bhp gain too !

 
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If it dry this weekend I'm making a vid, that's a big IF LOL
 
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Mine should be here end of next week apparently. They were a rail pipe short on stock .
Can then get my mate to fit it and get the awe intake fitted before going back to revo to upgrade to stage 1+
 
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I had my Scorpion system fitted towards the end of January but it hasn't been plain sailing. I'm very happy with the system now but thought I'd share my experience with everyone in case the information is of help to other S4 owners.

Fitment
After the initial fitting the rear pipes hung very low - you could see them clearly from the back of the car and they caught the ground over large bumps. The way the pipes ran around the rear diff was sloppy too - elsewhere the clearance was generally a uniform 20mm but here it was around 80-100mm and made the centre resonator also hang low. Finally it was rubbing on the transmission tunnel between the front and centre boxes. I went back to the fitter but they couldn't do anything as it was mounted correctly on its hangers so I got in touch with Scorpion technical support, who were absolutely fantastic. They personally collected my car and took it up to their workshop in Derby whilst I used one of their loan cars (a fully Scorpion-liveried Ford S-Max) and over the course of a week adjusted my system to fit my car perfectly, including custom tailpipes to suit the RS5 rear diffuser, at no cost. With the car back I'm now very happy with the fitment and can't rate Scorpion highly enough on their commitment to customer service.

I got in touch with a few S4 owners with Scorpion systems and some of them had seen the same low-hanging rear pipes. One owner had also had his car up at Scorpion for fitment issues, so it may be that there's a batch of systems which have manufacturing issues. Another factor is that I was informed that up to now the S4 system shared its design with the B8 RS4 and as such the run around the rear axle and diff didn't perfectly suit the S4. They've now create a system specifically for the S4 to address this.

Ground clearance
I love running my cars low so this may not be an issue for most, but the B8 platform has a fairly long wheelbase and a low floor so this is an important factor for me. The front and centre resonators on the Milltek system used to hang below the floor on my car but the Scorpion boxes sit neatly in the transmission tunnel which means I've gained a decent amount of ground clearance and therefore peace of mind over speed bumps and in car parks.

Sound level
Coming from a non-res Milltek I was shocked by how quiet this system is! That initial disappointment was soon replaced with a sense of relief once I reached the motorway and settled into a wonderfully peaceful 40 mile journey home. I'd got used to the bass tones and resonance of the Milltek system but hadn't realised how intrusive it was until it was gone. It must've been uncomfortable for my passengers. Over the course of the next 1000 miles the tone of the Scorpion system has deepened and improved significantly so it now produces the sound level others have described in this thread.

It really is remarkable what Scorpion have achieved I have to say! The noise level is negligible on normal driving, and on motorways in 7th gear under load (the main problem area) there is absolutely no drone at all. When you open the taps you get a definite increase in volume and tone over stock. It's no match for the Milltek non-res (we're not talking full-on V6 yowl) but it's purposeful and blends perfectly with the supercharger whine. Overall sound level is comparable with a Milltek resonated system but the tone is different. The Scorpion allows some of the V6 character through whereas the Milltek smoothes it out. Which you prefer it entirely subjective but I'm enjoying listening to the Scorpion system for sure, and actually being able to hear the engine again is a novelty! The engine and intake were largely drowned out by the Milltek non-res system. Important to note also that you still get the overrun pop when you back-off and the DSG bark on upshifts with the bedded-in Scorpion system.

I do occasionally miss blasting around my local back roads with a non-resonated system so I'm now considering the option of adding a pair of valves (or cut-outs) just before the rear boxes with a switch/controller inside the car. If I succeed in finding a high-quality switchable non-res solution I'll let you all know :)
 
Mine was spot on from the start, glad it's all fixed now for you. The longer it's on the better it gets

Image
 
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That looks good, nice one.

Here's how mine looked after the initial fitting:
IMG 3499

IMG 3501

And now:
IMG 3759   Copy

I know that at least one other S4 had low rear sections too and Scorpion did suggest to me that there may be a bad batch out there, so I thought it only fair that I share my experience. That's not to say I'm knocking Scorpion at all here - mistakes are easy to make, it's how they're put right that counts and they truly stepped up to the plate!
 
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Totally agree, you were right to raise it both here and with scorpion. It's the only way they would have known there was an issue. I would have done the same if the one I received was badly fitting.
 
Just had a call from scorpion. They rang to say there's been an issue with the getting the ceramic black tailpipes and after a couple of reported issues of low hanging. So, they've borrowed an s4 from someone in Wales and are sorting the problem. Typically they did ring last week and ask if they could have mine for a further 20% discount . But timing etc...meant I couldn't go. But they didn't mention they'd be willing to collect the car . Oh well still great price at 20% off.

So mine will be the revised system and all future ones will be. Apparently they'd based them off the rs4 and there's a slight difference. So hopefully mine should come next week
 
And mine with which they discovered the difference between the RS4 and the S4. Sounds like anyone who buys a system manufactured between March 2016 and now will be fine, but anything before then will need adjustments or to be sent back for a replacement. The date of build is stamped on the rear boxes, BTW.
 
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Mine was the one from Wales end of last week.
 
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Mine always fitted like a glove.
 
Hopefully they get the tail pipes in soon. Apparently the ones they have in stock have been scratched in process somewhere.
Then I can get it booked in for fitting. Will be interesting to see if there's any increase in power
 
20bhp increase dyno proven.
 
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Nice gain, was considering going stage 1+ with sc pulley soon. But might hold off for a while. And let the £££ build up again.
Thanks for sorting the deal out mate
 
My pleasure, was quite fun to do. Excluding the EBay special, I wanted to cut my ears off!
 
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Not long now then, congrats, I'm sure you will love it. How they should have been out of the factory.
 
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I'm not too sure on the 20 BHP gain claim anymore. The older 'drone' system was more free-flowing through the rear silencers, the newer 'drone-free' system is more restrictive due to the three-way pass design of the rear silencers, and the single exit from them, as opposed to the older design, which was a twin exit. (See above video further up the thread to see what I mean in regards to the older system)
Has the newer 'drone-free' system been tested on a rolling road?
Maybe someone from Scorpion can confirm this?
 
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I asked for the details of this exhaust so I assume it's this exhaust.
 
Not long now then, congrats, I'm sure you will love it. How they should have been out of the factory.

False alarm . Got an email from DPD saying they haven't received my item?? Yet it was them who emailed saying it was ready for delivery. And had a payment receipt. Looks like it's gonna be a few more days atleast
 
What is this outside my house ?



Image
 
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After reading your reviews, Fctaff, I have a yearning to get a Scorpion system for my S5 Sportback. Any idea if it'd compromise the manufacturers warranty that remains?
 
No idea TBH you would have to ask Audi, did not effect my after market warranty.

Yeah loving the s max, they asked if they could have my car again for more development for the American market
 
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They want it loud
 
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Needs scorpion written up the side in massive letters.
 
How much longer is an Avant exhaust system over a saloon i am trading in for another S4 and want to keep my exhaust
 

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